There’s no denying that Florida is filled with nightlife and excitement, but there’s a different side to the this area that few rarely think about: the natural sights of Florida. Florida offers tourists and residents the chance to take in the beautiful wildlife and plant life that is unique to the area. The following places are not necessarily sought after by tourists, but they do offer visitors the chance to get in touch with nature.

Located at the tip of Florida, the Florida Keys are on many people’s checklist when it comes to visiting the area, and it’s no surprise why. The 120 mile stretch of the Florida Keys offer crystal clear waters, a chance to see sea life like manatees and dolphins. Take a swim or, f you’re feeling adventurous, try snorkeling in the water to truly experience the serene setting.

Located in Jacksonville, the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve gives visitors a history lesson in addition to a beautiful area to look at. Before Europeans came to America, this area was ruled by Timucuan Native Americans and for 6,000 years this area was preoccupied. Learn the ways that humans were able to take advantage of the land throughout the centuries and what species of animals also live in the area.

The Gulf Islands National Seashore stretches across the beaches of Mississippi and Florida, with many different spots along the way to visit. Along the shores, you can take in the natural beaches, hiking areas, wildlife, and even historic sites. For example, the Fort Pickens Area is home to Fort Pickens, one of 4 forts that were built to defend the nation. It was used throughout the Civil War and was even modernized years following the war. Tours are available daily on the fort.

The American Everglades is a huge reserve in the south of Florida that covers 1.5 million miles. Within the reserve lives hundreds of species of protected wildlife, hiking, canoeing, and events throughout the year. Be a part of a tour group and learn about the endangered species that live in the area, or learn about the effects of climate change and unique ecosystems that thrive in the Everglades.

To many people, moving to Florida would be a dream come true. Harsh winters and expensive costs of northern large cities can make those in the north look to the south for better options. It could be a great move, depending on what you’re looking for, but there are things to consider before making the big move to Florida.

There are Distinct Areas

In Florida, there are distinct areas of Florida: Northern, Central, and Southern Florida. Each section has its own sense of culture and there are distinct features for each area. For example, there is a huge difference between living in Miami and living in Fort Lauderdale. My advice is to research each area and, if possible, visit each area so that you have a good idea of what kind of place you’ll be moving to. Some areas are busier than others, and some may have more employment opportunities than others. Within each of the areas in Florida, there are even more distinct cultural areas within them. For example, within Miami, there are many distinct districts, each having their own unique personalities.

Tourism Capital

It’s no surprise that Florida brings the tourists. With Disney World, Universal Studios, and the beautiful Florida beaches on every shoreline, Florida is definitely a tourist destination. Florida cities like Tampa and Miami are regularly visited by tourists, specifically spring break students. If you’re planning on living in one of Florida’s tourist cities, just know that the traffic is probably going to be difficult to navigate at times and it could get busy during the months of major tourism.

Throughout the Fall, the nation saw a rise in home prices. The Standard&Poor’s/Case-Shiller 20-city home price index rose 5.5 perecent between October 2014 and October 2015. Home values rose about 5% during 2015 and while they did so, unemployment decreased down to 5%. A better job market is making for more people buying homes. However, home listings haven’t been able to keep pace. So what we’re getting is not necessarily in increase in homes sold, but an increase in the price of each home sold given competition for what few listings are available. This limit in inventory seems to be serving newly listed homes better than existing homes. Existing homes dropped 10.5%. Mortgage rates are looking stabilized thanks to 30-year fixed-rate mortgages averaging less than 4%, whereas mortgage rates have traditionally hovered closer 6%. This increase in housing prices has primarily affected San Francisco, Denver, and Portland, Oregon. Miami, in addition to Tampa, Detroit, Minneapolis, and Cleveland, is still maintaining lower pre-recession prices.

Matheson Estate Goes for $47 Million

The new mansion built on the Matheson Estate

The picturesque Matheson Estate located on Key Biscayne just sold for $47 Million. The anonymous new owner has built a modern mansion on the property. The Matheson Estate was once home to the wealthy industrialist W.J. Matheson during World War 1. In 1908, Matheson bought a 1,700 acre estate and built an opulent mansion he called Mashta (“resting place” in arabic) House. in the 1930s the house was badly damaged by storms and was eventually abandoned. Years later in 1989 it was acquired by Fernando Caballero for $1.3 million. And just the other day it was acquired for $47 million.

South Beach

The Webster, South Beach

“This beachfront neighborhood wasn’t the place where Art Deco was created, but between the spacious, sleek hotels and pastel colors, its appear like one of the truest expressions of the form.” The real estate website Curbed.com recently listed South Beach as one of 10 Neighborhoods that Influenced US Architecture. Some highlights to see include The Webster, The Carlyle, Cadillac Hotel, The Delano, and the Bass Museum.

Local real estate industry leaders recently gathered in Miami to discuss the real estate market in South Florida. Interest in South Florida real estate from both the United States and abroad has made the real estate market attractive for developers. Due to the increased interest in real estate development in Miami, the luxury market has followed suite and thrived along with the increasing real estate costs. Commercial real estate prices have skyrocketed, as they have doubled over these last six years.

Although the real estate market is looking great in Miami, as buyers are making 50% down payments on condos, experts still believe that there will be volatility. As Miami is becoming a hot bed for real estate, and prices are soaring, developers are turning their focus on under developed neighborhoods with potential expansion. Developer’s favorite so far is the Biscayne Boulevard corridor. The area is right on the bay, close to the beach, has a major road, and there is plenty of empty land for real estate development.

There have also been discussions to create public green spaces in the Miami-Dade area. One potential project in the rumor mill is a 10-mile bike path under the Metrorail line that goes from Dadeland to Brickell Station. There is plenty of unused space in the area, and public officials are interested in re-purposing that land to give back to their community and increase the allure of living in South Florida. Other proposals have been put forth to convert unused railway tracks into lush pedestrian walkways as seen from the skyline in New York City.

Traffic is an issue in Miami, so city officials and real estate professionals agree that some major additions need to take place in the transportation sector if Miami wants to compete on an international level. To read more about the foreign interest in the real estate market in Miami, please refer to this blogpost from Raanan Katz.

November 3 marked the 20th anniversary for the Miami International Real Estate Congress, which drew over three hundred real estate agents and foreign professionals who focus on foreign markets, including 70 delegates from foreign countries.

The conference was a big success: speakers addressed hot-topic issues, industry experts shed light on current trends, and all attendees enjoyed a number of marketing sessions and gala receptions. But if there is one conclusion to draw from the event, it’s that the Miami-Dade and Broward real estate market is once again being heavily influenced by international real estate transactions.

These international deals actually comprise just under a third of all real estate transactions in the area. And that astounding number doesn’t even meet last year’s high of 35%. The foreign demand for Miami real estate is one of the most vibrant pieces of that market that has put Miami-Dade on track to break another record for residential sales this year.

Difficult economic conditions abroad have not stopped foreign buyers from spending big bucks in southern Florida. Florida home sales average $245,000 but international buyers spent an average of $444,052 on their Miami homes. Brazilians topped that international list with a mean payment of almost $500,000 per property, about two times the state’s average.

The tendency for foreigners to lean towards an upscale Miami market has made them an attractive target for realtors looking to cash in on a profitable trend. Alicia Cervera La Madrid, the managing partner of Miami’s Cervera Real Estate, explained, “We’re probably paying some of the highest commissions in the world — between 5 percent and 7 percent.”

Most of the real estate agents in the South Florida area either hail from a foreign country themselves or are at least multilingual and have a deep understanding of the language and culture of their clients. One of those cultural habits is the propensity toward cash purchases — a full 81% of foreign buyers in the area paid in cash, according to a recent NAR study.

Raanan Katz on Miami after the crash:

After the 2008 market crash, internationally-focused agents are palpably excited by this recent foreign interest in Miami soil. The assumption is that Miami is a great place for foreigners to invest their money, but only time will tell whether that trend will hold up in the coming years.

51 percent of all of Florida’s real estate sales are cash home sales. This makes Florida the leader in the United States for cash home sales. On average, national home cash sales are around 33% which is higher than last years rate of around 20%. After the recession, there was a shortage of houses for sale as well as more strict regulations put on mortgage lending. Cash offers are a lot more attractive to sellers as they know that they will have the money right after the papers are signed. It surpasses much of the financing needed in a non-cash agreement, making someone paying cash a way to help them win a bidding war. This makes it very difficult for first0time buyers relying on financing. It it a lot more difficult to qualify for financing these days, and with the high demand and higher supply of cash buyers, young homebuyers are finding it more difficult to purchase homes.

The housing crisis was caused by poor mortgage lending tactics to buyers that were not able to reach their mortgage agreements. This was the era of sub-prime mortgage lending. In the wake of the 2008 housing crisis, banks were forced to put more strict regulations on mortgage lending, making it more difficult for people to buy homes who were on the fringe. Less and less people were then applying for mortgages because they were cut from being qualified. This lead towards a decrease in the supply of houses being built. This lack of supply made it even more difficult for people on the fringe since buying houses using cash became much more attractive to sellers and easier for buyers.

Purchasing a home in Miami (and essentially everywhere else in the United States) is much less expensive than renting. Take a look at Raanan Katz’s blog post on renting vs. purchasing homes by clicking here.